Ex-CIA Officer: Turkey and Jordan Can Help US Defeat ISIS

Turkey and Jordan could be called on to help in the fight against the Islamic State because they have "a lot at stake" in making sure the terrorist group is defeated, says Mike Baker, former CIA covert operations officer and president of Diligence, LLC.

"The Turkish military and the Turkish government are prime candidates for this," Baker told Ed Berliner on "MidPoint" on Newsmax TV Thursday.

"The Islamic State has been busy trying to consolidate territory along the Syrian-Turkish border for some time — disrupting the flow of resources between the Turkish military and the Free Syrian Army," he said.

"The Turks have a lot at stake here; so do the Jordanians," he said.

And they are both "very capable."

"The Jordanians have been strong allies of ours for a long time," Baker said. "The Turkish military is extremely capable and well-resourced and . . . they could do this."

While it would be "more expedient for U.S. forces" to take on IS, formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Baker said there is too much war "fatigue" among Americans when it comes engaging in the fight alone.

"I don't think there's a political or public will to engage in a big way," he said. "I don't think the White House has the political will to try to engage U.S. forces on the ground in a meaningful way.

"We have to turn to our allies. And there will be some coercion that will be necessary."

Nationally syndicated talk show host Brett Winterble told the "MidPoint" host he agrees that "the Jordanians or the Turks or some other regional actor [will need] to help with the heavy lifting."

"The Jordanians would be willing to do it because they are directly threatened next by ISIS," Winterble said.

As for Turkey, a part of NATO, he said, "They are reliable militarily."

Turkey and Jordan could be called on to help in the fight against the Islamic State because they have "a lot at stake" in making sure the terrorist group is defeated, says Mike Baker, former CIA covert operations officer and president of Diligence, LLC.